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RESPECTING THE 

ONDITION S( TREATMENT 

OP . . ..~.--^''-. 

SLAVES, 

/A THE CITY OF 

VICK-SBUIIG-H' 

II\ THE STATE OF MlSSIS^IFF^j 



/ 
/ 

/ 



MY JOSEPH HEN^Y. 



PRINTED AT MEP* A, Ohio, 



The following Statement of Facts was ta- 
ken down in writing by me, from the verbal 
relations of the narrator, Mr. Henry, who 
examined the manuscript and pronounced it 
to be correct in all respects. 

CHARLES OLCOTT, 

Medina, May 3d, 1839, 



IL STATEMENT Or PACTS, &.C. 

(rs^jss) 

I Joseph Henry, ]ate of the city of Rochester, in the conn- 
ty of Monroe, and state of New York, but now a temporary re- 
sident of Medina, in the county of Medina and state of Ohio, do 
hereby, at the request of several citizens of this latter place, 
make the following Statement of Facts that came within my 
personal knowledge, or were matters of public and general no- 
toriety, respecting the Condition and Treatment of Slaves in 
Yicksburgh and its vicinity, in the state of Mississippi. I slate 
nothing but what I believe to be strictly true, without any ex- 
aggeration whatever. 

I went to Vicksburgh in the month of October; 1838, and 
remained there till the month of March, 1839, a period of 
five and a half months ; and during that time improved every 
convenient opportunity in my power, to acquire a correct know- 
ledge of the condition and treatment of slaves, in that place and 
its neighborhoodi The few fads I shall relate from hearsay, 
I had from persons who could not be mistaken, and in whose 
veracity 1 had the utmostconfidence ; and they are besides, most 
of them, matters of public notoriety in Vicksburgh, which no- 
body there would pretend to dispute. 1 have no doubt but that 
every one of them might, if necessary, be fully substantiated in 
courts of law. These facts, however, are intended only to ap- 
ply to the condition and treatmeat of slaves in Vickiburgh and 
its vicinity; though I have no doubt, from the facts I have 
heard from others, but that they are equally well adapted to il- 
lustrate the condition and treatment of slaves in most parts of 
our slave states ; with the exception perhaps of those parts of 
Virginia and Kentucky that border on the Ohio river. 

As to the General Treatment of ihe slaves, 1 say, it is very 
bad ; though there are a good many exceptions in the city, of 
the house servants and waiters, most of whom are mulattoes or 
other mongrels. I have known many cases where I thought 
these slaves wore as we/1 treated as lliey could be in their cir- 
cumstances. But many of the house servants are treated with 
great cruelty. They are frequently hi'-ed out by their masters, 
and are then apt to be cruelly treated, because it is for the in^ 



(4) 

terest of thoie wlio hire them, to extort as much labor from 
ihem as possible. Some hire their time of their masters at so 
much per day, and then seek their own employment, in which 
case thev may chance to fare better . I have seen house eerv- 
ants kicked, cuflcd, struck and beaten in the streets, and have 
heard a great many stories of such treatment. They are mat- 
tcrs of every day's occurrence in Vicksburgh ; and are so per- 
fectly common in that city, that nobody thinks of taking any 
special notice of them. To kick and beat a slave in the streets 
for any reason ichatevcr, is considered as indicative of a man of 
spirit and a gentleman in Vicksburgh. And this is easily and 
safely done, for no slave ever dares to make the least resistance 
to such treatment, because it would instantly cost him his life it"* 
1)0 should. The slaves are considered and treated like horses 
and cattle and other brute animals. And I suppose they were 
better treated during the cool months I was in Vicksburgh, than 
tiicy were during the hot summer months when there is much 
more business and labor to be done. 

But by all accounts I could obtain, the general treatment of 
the field or plantation slaves, and those who labor as mechan- 
ics, IS much worse. I did not often go on to the plantations, 
and saw no slave cruelties on them myself. I understood that 
punishments were seldom inflicted before strangers ; but that 
they were generally inflicted at night, and only in the presence 
of the slaves. But this is not always the case. The drivers 
will sometimes knock slaves down in tlie fields, and let them lie; 
and I understood that whipping of such slaves for oflences, 
when no white persons are near, is as common as that of horses 
r:id cattle. 

As to the Condition of the slaves, I say, that it is wretched in 
tiio extreme, and miserable beyond description. The slaves 
are not such ignorant creatures as many uorthern people sup- 
j)ose. They appear fully to realize and feel the horrors and 
miseries of their dreadful condition. Whenever they have 
r-jafidenee to express their feelings on the subject, their con- 
Riant cry is "O ! that we were free !" They have the greatest 
anxiety to escape, though they seldom dare reveal their plans 
for that purpose to others, for fear of treachery. I have heard 
slaveholders admit this intense anxiety in their slaves to escape; 
but pretend to wonder at it, and maintain that they aie better 
fjffas they are, than they would be to be set at liberty. None 
of their reasons, however, convinced me, though I was obliged 
to seem to concur in them; for there is not the slightest freedom 



(5) 

of speech against slavery allowed in Vicksburgh. Any ex- 
pressions of detestation, ot even dislike to it, /rem a straiigor, 
uttered in the presence of slaveholders or their fViciids, won!.! 
probably cost him his life in this horrid place. A man must b*; 
as cautious of what he says in that place respecting slavery, ;rs 
he would respecting piracy and robbery among pirates and roli- 
bers. The slaves know as well what liberty is as others do, 
because they see others constantly fa tise enjoyment of it ; and 
being on the constant wMtch if possible to obtain it, their ovsv,- 
ers are excessively jealous of any intercourse between thein 
and strangers. This is so well understood; that few strangers 
dare speak to slaves at all in the presence of other white people, 
for fear of difficulty. The slaveholders are extremely jealous 
of the northern people, for fear they may be abolitionists; and 
will frequently enter into conversation on the subject of aboli- 
tion with northern strangers, for the purpose as is understood f.'^ 
learnini? their sentiments. And should a strani^er be so impru- 
dent as to acknowledge himself an abolitionist in their presence, 
he would most surely be mobbed and murdered, unless he in:- 
mediately made his escape. Every tongue disposed to condem : 
the practice of slavery, is entirely silenced in Vicksburgh, ai. i 
as 1 understood throu^jhout the extreme south. 

As to the Piimshmenis of the slaves, bv far the most commo:; 
mode so far as my observation extended, was whipping v/ith a 
raw hide such as northern people drive horses with. VVhip= 
ping with this instrument is just as common for every misde. 
meanor of slaves, or what is considered or pretGiided to be such, 
as it. is for northern horses ; and it is generally far more severe 
and cruel than the whipping of horses. And slaves whocomm;L 
such af^^nces are almost sure to receive a whipping. From 
fifty to one hundred lashes are most commonly given. \Vheii 
a slave is to be punished, he is commonly stripped entirely na- 
ked and tied up by the wrists, in which situation the punishment 
is inflicted, the blows being laid on as hard as the operator can 
slrike, cutting through the skin and drawing blood at every lash, 
and he the whipper paying no regard to the shrieks, yells and 
entreaties of the victim. Sometimes a greater number even a;; 
many as five hundred lashes are given, ijut not often. I nevei- 
witnessed a case of slave punishment by whipping myself, part-, 
ly because such punishments as I before observed as are secret 
as possible; but from the numerous cases of sucli--ptrntshments 
I have heard related by negro drivers and others who said they 
Ijad witnessed them, I have no doubt but that they are as -e<rin- 



mon an.! much more severe for slave ogTenccs, than ^he whip- 
ping of horses and cattle \s. No oihor"notico is ever taken of 
tlieae cruellies, llian as matters of ordinary conversation. 

Tiio most cruel and barbarous case of slave punishment that 
occurred in Vicksburgh while J wns there, was that of a slave 
wl.o worked m an iron ibundry hv the name oCDlcl:. He was 
n n.-marlvahly stout, a'.hlotic, intelligent negro, an engineer and 
«'n.; o! the best hands in the shop. His offence was, fi^htin'^ 
with the cool^ another negro. For this offence, Spiilor thS 
>)rc-m:in of the sliop had Dick tied up to bo f]ogf;ed. But while 
ho w..-ntjo a house after a wiiip, Dick broke iSosu and ran a- 
•'.ay. Some negroes were sent afier him, but were unable to 
-^kc hrm. Afier a short absence Diok returned, and conceal, 
nig himseli under the Ht-or of the shop durincr the day time, sun- 
ported himseh nearly a forln:ght, by crawlingout at nin-ht and 
^^eahng provisions. Spiiler at last discovered his retre°at, and 
-•'7/-i h.m in the evening as he crawled out at a hole under 
i-'_^shop. He instantly took 'Dick into the foundry, ordered 
■-:! the s.aves belonging to it to attend, and invited the white 
..-Mids to witness the punishment. He then had Dick swun- -jn 
by the wrists to the heavy crane used for raising iron on to the 
<orge and anvils, until his feet were clear from the floor He 
•nen lied his ancles together, and placed a pig of iron between 
nom to keep him straight. Spitler then commenced whippin^r 
■'I'n^with a heavy raw hide, and continued to whip with all his 
'i«g:.l till he became tired, when he ordered a stout negro to re. 
leve Inm, cOmrr.anding him with the most horrible oaths to lay 
It on hard, or he would hnvo him whipped also. In this man, 
iiertiicse two executioners continued Iv-, relieve each other, un- 
111 Dick had received upwards of sixteen hundred •dshe?; when 
my informant left ; and how many more he received after that 
be (lid not know. xMy informant stated that during the whole of 
this horrible punishment, Dick continued to yell and scream 
and 10 bog of the white hands present to interfere and save his 
iileifthoy hadany mercy on him, which no one dared to do 
nnlil he became speechless, which he did before my informant 
lell : at this period all the white hands except Spitler left the 
Huop, being unable to endure the scene any longer. I under- 
Mood that Spitler and his assistant continued their whippin^r af. 
ter this, until Dick appeared to be dead vr nearly so; when 
ihey let him down. 1 lived within fifty rods of 'the place of 
this barbarous transaction, and heard all the particulars of ii the 
next morning. Dick was carried to a house near by, whete hQ 



(7) 

lived fourteen days when he died. At first he lay only on his 
elbows, face and knees, not being able to endiire any other po- 
sition. But when I saw him on the day before he died, he lay 
partly in a sitting posture, on an old chest or wooden box and 
blanket spread on it, with his head reclined backwards. He 
appeared to have his reason, but v/as in the greatest agon^/ of 
pain, groaning heavily, while the sweat rolled off from his face 
profusely. The flesh on his legs and on his thighs appeared to 
be completely cut to pieces with the whip. The doctor who 
was present said he thought his case to be dangerous, and that 
Spitler appeared to be concerned about it. It made a good deal 
of talk about town, but I understood that the doctors who v/ere 
slaveholders themselves, and therefore probably concerned to 
save Spitler's credit, reported that Dick did not die of the whip,,. 
ping, but of the lock jaw / Whether this story satisfi«Cany bo- 
dy I do not know. But nothing was done about it while I staid 
in Vicksburgh, except to talk about it in private. Nor do I 
suppose any legal notice will ever be taken of it. This dread- 
ful murder was committed in the latter end of February, a few 
days before I left Vicksburgh. And what struck me with as- 
tonishment was, that it should be committed right under the eyes 
as it were, of so many professedly pious christian people as thero 
are in "V'icksburg, and none of them make any efforts to bring 
the murderer to punishment. O-.ieof the white hands told me, 
that this punishment had had an excellent effect on the slave 
hands, that it had scared the negroes almost to death, and that 
they worked much harder and steadier than they did before. 

Other cruel modes of punishment are sometimes used, though 
notso often. On a Sunday, I think in the month of January or 
February 1839, about 9 o'clock in the evening, a slave was shot 
dead in the streets of Vicksburg by a white man, as the citizens 
were returning from meeting. My informant who v/itnessed 
the murder stated tome, that the assassin when interrogated by 
the citizens as to his motive for shooting the negio, merely de- 
clared that he v/as 'one of his d d runaway niggers whom 

he hadjust overtaken,' and that this declaration seemed to sat- 
isfy every body, the people appearing to think it perfectly right 
to kill a slave in such circumstances, just as much as if he had 
been a dog or other brute animal. No other notice was taken 
of the affair than to talk about it in private. Shooting of runa- 
way slaves I understood to be very common. It is also a com- 
mon practice to beat slaves and eometim.es to knock them down 
with slicks and clubs. So common is this treatment that it is 



(8) 

hardly noticed in Vicksbargh. It is common to chain them on 
board steam boats as they are taken to market, to prevent their 
rur I have often seen them thu-s chained myself. — 

I .. .:>m common report, that the plantation overseers 

and drivers were very cruel to the slaves, flogging them with 
iho • : 'I'e severity for the slightest offences. The culti- 

va*. is the most common employment of slaves, in 

the country round about Vicksburgh. Each slave has his stint, 
and if this be not fully performed, he is sure of a severe flogging 
at night. Even slave women giving suck to children are thus 
Hygged, I was credibly informed of one oversser in the s'.ate 
ofMiiis'ssippi, who in the season of 1 337, killed no less than six 
slaves on one plantation with bis own hand. Nor do slaves 
working m mechanical employments fare any better. From 
such cases as these, the general treatment ofthe field slaves mar 
be correctly inferred ; though there is a difference to some 
little extent on different piantalioDS, accordmg to the different 
dispositions of the overseers. In general, the more strict, rigid 
and cruel an overseer is, the better he is liked for that horrid 
employment. I understood that runniug away was the offence, 
tjt which the severest punishments were inflicted. 

As lolhe Mode of Labor of the slaves, they are obliged to 
rise at the first dawn of day aiid commence their labor : they 
then labor all day except at meal times, under the directions 
and whips of the overseers, so long as ii is light enough to see 
to work and sometimes later, when they are mustered at their 
quarters, their tasks weighed or measured, aad the delinquents 
if any flogged. They then retire to their cabins to cook and 
cat their victuals, and sleep Lill the blowing of the horn in the 
morning, when they rise and labor as before. There is very 
little variation in their employments, fare and sufferings, the 
year round, and that little is caused merely by tlie variations of 
the seasons or by accident. I had {he best opportunity to ob* 
serve the modes of working slaves, in the foundry which I have 
mentioned. In ibis foundry, the slaves were compelled to be- 
gin to work long before the white hands began, and were obli. 
ged to work long after the white hands had quit. They bt^gan 
to work as soon as they conhl see in the morning, and Morked 
as long as tiiey could see at night j and tliis I understood to be 
the general mode of working slaves who were able to labor, 
without any exceptions, unless they were accidental. A!] tliis 
labor is of course performed under the terrors of the whip, and 
of the most barbarous punishments which their hardened and 



(») 



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(10) 

mistresses. But I have no evidence or reason to believe, that 
the field slaves who compose the vast majority, are ever belter 
dressed than as I iiavc described iheni, except by mere accident. 
They never wear any shoes and stockings, and but seldom any 
hats, except in the winter season. But many ofthe women have 
a sort of handkerchief lied round llicir heads when at work. — 
All the slave women on the plantations able to labor, are oblig- 
ed to work witli the men in the fields, under the whip. Those 
who have children at the breast will place them in the corners 
ofthe fences or under shady trees, and suckle them occasion- 
ally through the day. These women all have their tasks as- 
signed ihem, and those who do not complete them, are sure to 
be as severely flogged as the male delinquents are. 

1 did not live in Vicksburgh during the hot season, and can- 
not therefore speak from experience, but I have often heard 
slaveholders and others say there, that white people can never 
cultivate the soil in that hot climate ; and this opinion I believe 
to be true. They appear to consider the negroes formed to en- 
dure that climate, and to argue that if the soil of such climates 
is cultivated at all, it must be cultivated by black people. — 
Nevertheless I have heard slaveholders say, they would be 
perfectly willing their slaves should be sent to Africa, j^'i'ovided 
they could be paid for them ; but not otherwise. I never knew 
one profess his willingness to have them sent away without com- 
pensation ; nor do 1 believe that any considerable number of 
ihcm ever can be induced to do so. N'or did 1 give them any 
credit fur sincerity, when I heard them say they were willing 
to stii them for that purpose. My own opinion is, that if all 
the present slaves were to be sent out of the most southern 
slave states, and no more be imported to supply their places, 
the slaveholders in those places would be ruined, and perhaps 
come to actual starvation ; and of this belief I think the slave- 
holders also are. I do not believe that any other than colored 
laborers can cultivate the soil of those states. 

I understood that most ofthe slaves contracted Marriages ot 
a certain kind and to a certain extent, and that these marriages 
are generally celebrated with some sort of form. But it is un- 
derstood that they are to last so loitg only as their masters are 
willing ihey should. When slave husbands and wives were to 
be sold, they W(ire separated by the sales, with as liltleceremo- 
ny as so many hogs or sheep, one to one purchaser, and the o- 
Iher to another. And the same with slave parents and children. 
They are commonly sold at public auction : and though I have 



(11) 

frequently been near places in VIcksburgh where large num. 
bers were sold, I never could summon fortitude enough to at- 
tend one of these horrid exhibitions of the crime of m.anstealing. 
Hero, according to common report, husbands and wives and pa- 
rents and children, were torn from each other, with no more 
remorse or pity or regard to the feelings and interests of the 
slaves, than those of cattle, horses, and other br-iite animals. — 
The reason of this is, that they are legally regarded as brutes 
in all respects, so far as human beings can be so regarded. — 
Naturally the slaves are human beings ; legally they are brutes, 
and hence are in many respects worse trealed than brutes are. 
Perhaps they are in a// respects werse treated than brutes; for 
many kinds of treatment are just and humane tov/ards bruteo, 
wdiich are cruel towards human beings. 

The slaves have no more legal conti'ol over their own child^ 
ren, or lii^al right to exercise such control, than a cow has over 
her calf, or a hen over her cliickens ; and most oi them do not 
have a chance to exercise as much control over their offspring, 
as the brutes do over theirs. The children grow up to be what 
their parents have been, slaves, vv^ithout education or good mo- 
rals, and to be insulted, abused, and perhaps finally v^'crked. 
whipped, or otherwise tortured \o death. Nor does their color 
make any difference in their legal condition or treatment, nOr 
often in their actual condition— except that the mixture of the 
white color sometimes mitigates their cruel treatment; and 
sometimes it may aggravate it, especially on the plantations, it 
being understood that mulatto slaves have more pride and stub- 
borness than others. It is well known I suppose to most read- 
ers, that a large proportion of the slaves are the offspring of the 
slaveholders themselves. This relationship much produce great- 
er mildness of treatment in many cases, though v/icked custom 
forbids any such distinction, one slave being legally entitled to 
no better treatment than another. For this reason 1 account 
for the fact, that a greater proportion of the house slaves are of 
the mixed color than of the field slaves. I have seen slaves of 
every shade of color, from jet black to clear white. As hand> 
some a woman as I ever saw is a slave in Vicksburgh, or was 
so when I left that place. Not the slightest trace of the negro 
color, features, or other peculiarities, was discoverable on her 
.person. On the contrary her features were beautifully regu- 
lar, and her color remarkably white and clear. But her two- 
tlier having been a slave when she was born, she, of course, 
r/as a ^lave also, These facts show that color is no obstacif 



(12) 

to slavery, as many northern people seem to think it is, but ren- 
der it probable that if the latter conliuues long enough in this 
country, whiteness of skin will make no more difference with it^ 
tlian it anciently did in Greece and Rome, or than it now does 
in Russia and Turkey. 

As to the Morals of the slaves, I will state one fact that will 
be a complete key to them. I should think that \wo thirds of 
the population of Vicksburgh are slaves, and that at least one 
half ©f these, and perhaps more than one half, are mulattocs or 
other mongrels, many of them nearly white. And as no slave 
is ever permitted to marry a white person, the morals of most 
of the slave women may easily be guessed at. It is well un- 
derstood in Vicksburg,that most of these women are prostitutes, 
rendered such by the vices and tyranny of the white men. The 
morals of these men may also be correctly inferred from the 
same fact. It is well understood that many perhaps the majori- 
ty of these men are recklessly licentious, their habitual viola- 
tions of the seventh commandment being proportional to the fa- 
cilities they possess for such violations. Prostitution never in"* 
jurestlie character of a slave wo'Tian, for a slave has no good 
character to lose for /i/»i5e7/'. A good character uoes hi ?ii no 
good, though it may his master, in case he wishes to sell him, 
Besides, the cohabitation of the 'breeding wenches' with white 
incn is profitable to their owners, mulatto slaves being the most 
valuable ; and I have no doubt but this kind of licentiousness js 
cncou raged for this very reason ; and 1 suppose there is as much of 
it in Vicksburgh, as in any other place of equal size in the slave 
states. 1 do not mean to insinuate that there are no virtuous 
people in this modern Sodom. On the contrary I think there 
are many such, and some even among the poor slaves. A con- 
siderable number of the citizens and some of the slaves, are pi- 
ous persons and professors of religion ; and I believe that many 
if nottlie whole of these, are fi-ee from the gross licentiousness 
with which they are surrounded. Most of the white women al- 
.so are understood lobe free from this vice. But many perhaps 
the majority of the white as well as coloured men, are known by 
reputation at least, to indulge in the most beastly licentiousness, 
•.vilhout apparent shame or remorse. Nor does such conduct 
appear to injure the cliuracter or social standing of the white 
men, any more than of the colored ones. It is considered no 
I sin or disgrace at all in such characters. I heard gentlemen 
4 of the first respectability and highest standing in society charg- 
pd with this vice, nor did tw ciiarge appear to afTect their good 



(13) 

Dame and reputation in the least. It is in fact so co/nmon n. 
vice among the me?i in the slave states, that probably few a- 
mong the majority could impeach their neighbors' character for 
this vice, without impeaching their own also. Fellowship in 
the worst of crimes has united the slaveholders in defence of 
their own characters, and enabled the vilest of men, by uphold- 
ing the rest, to keep themselves in countenance. 

While at Vicksburgh I heard it repeatedly stated in conver- 
sation as a curious fact, that the tvhite women there had but 
few children; and this statement I believe to be true, as I sav/ 
but few white children in that city. I ascribe this want of fe- 
cundity to the habitual indolence of these women. Manual la- 
bor is so disgraceful there, that no southern white will perform 
any such labor if it can be avoided. The slaveholders endeav- 
or to have all the work of every description done by the slaves, 
so far as ihey are capable. Any voluntary act of common mjx^ 
nual labor instantly degrades a white person there. The few 
poor white laborers in Vicksburgh, most of whom are northern 
mechanics, have no more political or social importance than 
the slaves. The slaveholders will apparently no more associ- 
ate with them on terms of equality or familiarity, than they 
will with their own slaves. They consider ^nd treat them on 
all occasions as persons degraded to the lowest rank in society ; 
and such, J should judge, is their habitual state of feeling tow' 
ards the whole of the northern people, except those who are a- 
Die to live, and do live, without laboring themselves. Our 
southern slaveholders are as a body, and without any exception 
that I ever knew, the proudest and haughtiest aristocrats that 
1 eversaw, andare as unprincipled and cruel as thev are proud 
and haughty. At the north labor is honorable ; at' the south it 
IS disgraceful ; and the relative conditions of the two countries 
correspond with this difference of sentiment. There are bu^*- 
few appearances in the slave states, so far as I have seen them,' 
ot that wealth and comfort, the indications of which are so 
common m all parts of the free states. Nor so far as mv ob 
servation extends, do the slaveholders have as many of the 
comforts of hfe. and live as well, as the generality of the nort! 
ern people poor as well as rich, do.^ The slaveholders a 
Vicksburgh, and their families, dress very richly, and appear 
inlZT '''li^'T'}}^y ^' possible ; but not withstanding Teir 
boasted wealth, which chiefly consists of 'niggers,' they did not ' 

%TiiZiV''' '^"'^^ -J-ostof thenonhe;n peop edo 
i3ut li the white women at the south do not breed fast, this 

B 



(14) 

cannot be said with trutli of all the coloured ones. I cannot 
say wiili any certainty how it is on the plantations, for I did 
not often visit thenfand iieard less about them I suppose than if 
1 Iiad, but from what I saw and heard in Vicksburgh, 1 have 
no doubt but that the process ofslave Amalgamation which cau- 
ses so much alarm at the north, is progressing in that city at a 
most rapid rate ; and as I understood, at a similar rate all over 
the slave states. The infamous causes of this increase are so 
obvious, that I need not again allude to them. And this prac- 
tice is pursued in Vicksburg with a degree of boldness and di-s- 
ref^1rd of shame and modesty, that shocks a stranger to south- 
ern society, and v/ould seem to be enough to cause the devil 
liimself to blush. I understood that as many mulattoes were 
raised as possible, they being the most profitable to their own^ 
ors. Nor is there any way to stop this process or its rate, so 
long as slavery itself continues ; for the slave women are en- 
tirelv in the power of their masters and overseers. And 1 know 
it is held for law in Vicksburgh and its neighborhood, to be 
death for a slave to make any resistance to a white person, let 
the provocation be what it may. This is i\\e general rule; 
though I will not say that resistance by a slave woman to a 
white man who should attempt to ravish her, would cause her 
instant death, because I never knew a case of the kind occur. — 
But when we consider how easy it is for the white men who 
have all the power on their side, to intimidate by threats the 
slave women who have no power on theirs, the various ways 
these men have to revenge themselves in case of refusal, and 
the fact that no slave can be a witness against a white person, 
it may safely be said, that the slave women have no protection 
for their cha'stity in the slave states, any more than they have 
for their other rights, though they desire it ever so much.— 
Hence the rapid amalgamation inseparable from a state of sla- 
very, in all parts of the slave states. Nor is there any possible 
^vay to stop this amalgamation, but to abolish slavery. Were 
the rights of the slave women restored to them and protected 
by law, as those of the wh\te women are, amalgamation would 
receive an immediate check, regular marriages would take 
place among the coloured i)eoplc, and the process be greatly 
retarded if not stopped entirely. As it is, the slaves must soon 
outnumber the whites in the extreme southern states, as they 
already do in some parts of th<^m ; and when this superiority 
is carried the dav will not be far distant, when the 'horrors oi 
St. Domingo' will be infallibly renewed in those states, unless 



(15) 

a voluntary emancipation first takes place. Whatever may be 
said to the contrary, I know from report and observation, that 
the slaveholders do now stand in fear of their own slaves, as 
their patrols, their loaded arms, and the barbarous means of 
subjection they use fully prove. What renders this predictiou 
so certain to my mind is, that the slaves are compelled to be 
enem.ies of their barbarous country. 

As to the Education or instruction of slaves, there is none 
that properly deserve to be called such. The two great objects 
of their existence is, like those of brutes, their labor and bree- 
ding, both intended solely for the benefit and profit of their own-' 
ers. To promote these great objects, the slaves are kept as ig- 
norant as possible, for the more ignorant they are, the more 
profitable they must he as slaves. Among free laborers this 
rule is reversed ; but it is true as applied to slaves. It would 
be impossible to keep a large body of educated slaves in sub- 
jection in this enlightened country ; and hence special laws are 
enacted and special pains taken, to keep them all as ignorant 
as possible. And were there no laws or customs to prevent 
their instruction, they are allowed no time for such a purpose, 
unless it be on the Sabbath ; and worn out as they must be with 
the toils of the preceeding week, it is not to be supposed they 
v/ill be much inclined, to go to their worst enemies for instruc- 
tion. I know that some of the house slaves can read, for I 
have heard them. But I should think that very few of them 
possessed this ability, and that none of them can write. They 
are never allowed to attend ordinary schools of any description ; 
but I understood they might attend Sunday schools if they plea- 
sed, though 1 suspect they seldom do attend them. I have fre- 
quently been to these latter schools in Vicksburgh, but never 
saw a coloured person in them. The slaves hi Vicksburgh 
have preaching for their special bpnefit, every Sunday in the 
afternoon, when they assemble by themselves ; but never with 
the white people ; though it was understood they might go into 
the vvhite churches if they wished to. The preachers on these 
occasions as I understood, exhort the slaves to obey the com- 
mands of God \n general, but those of their masters mi-) articular; 
great pains being taken to impress them with a sense of the du- 
ties they owe to their masters. I have no doubt the preachers 
inculcate in the slaves, a knowledge of their obligations to obey 
the commands of God, so far as they dare to. "But it will not 
do for them to preach up the full extent of these obligations to 
the slaves, because entire obedience to the Divine commands, 



(10) 

every where conflicts with the laws and customs of slavehold* 
jng. Hence the base subserviency of all the preachers of every 
(ieiiomination at the soutli, to the wicked customs, relations and 
interests of slavery ; muny of the preachers bemg slaveholders 
like the rest. Hence too the reason why neither the masters 
nor the slaves, over have the whole Gospel fully preached to 
ihcm ; and why, however pious they may be, they never fully 
.ind correctly understand ihe whole Gospel, but are even the 
best of tiicm, very imperfect ch)'istians indeed. Slavery is the 
^^reatcst hindrance to the spread of the Gospel in this country 
that I ever witnessed. The reason is that it is hostile to the 
Gospel in every respect; and because it prevails, a great share 
of the most important part of the Gospel, to wit, our duties to 
God, are either totally or partially suppressed in the slave states, 
especially among the poor ignorant slaves. Also duties to men 
loo are for obvious reasons, seldom disseminated among the 
.slaveholders by the preachers, in the true spirit and meaning 
cfthe Gospel ; and what little is laught is so perverted, as to 
make a wrong impression and give a wrong bias to the mind. 
'l"he little christian instruction slaveholders receive from the 
pulpit, respecting their dutiesto their slaves, is in the mildest and 
most soothing terms, to treat them with justice and humanity. 
But no preacher at the south ever dares to denounce the prac. 
tice of slavery itself, or theconstant breaches of the Divine Law 
occasioned by it, in the true spirit of the Gospel, under fear of 
death or the greatest persecution. So far as I could observe 
or learn from report, all the southern preachers are to a great, 
er or less extent, mere sycophants to the spirit of slavery, which 
controls all moral and political sentiments at the soutli, and 
moulds and perverts them to its own support and justificatioD. 
No preacher dares make from the pulpit in Vicksbuigh, a true 
and faithful application of the 5Slh chapter of Isaiah, and other 
similar passages of Scripture ; nor so far as I know or believe, 
in any other part of the slave slates. Such an application 
would probably cost the preacher his life. And in relation to 
liie particular sin of slavery, I should think it probable there is 
not a single fiithful preacher in the slave states, and very ^qw 
if any in the free states. As to free people of colour as they 
are called, I heard of none in Vicksburgh, and understood that 
none were permitted to remain in the state of Mississippi, with- 
cut a guardian to be responsible for their good behaviour.— 
And as hardly any of the slaves can read or write, they of 
course have no books, newspapers, pamphlets or manuscriptSj 



(17) 

not even Bibles or other religious books, In any of their cabins' 
or 'quarters.' 

The General Appearance of the slaves is humble and sub- 
missive in the extreme. And though they arc very lively anJ 
animated in their social parties, because it is the only enjoy- 
nient they have, it is evident they are as completely broke to 
the yoke, as horses and cattle are. None of them dare to offer 
the least insolence or mak^ the least resistance to any white 
person, let the provocation be what it may, on account of the 
terrible punishmeni which certainly await such transgressions 
of slave custom. These are the people who are literally 'dumb 
and have no helper.' Most of the slaves in the ciiy and on the 
plantations that { saw, were rugged, stout and hearty, and nee- 
ded to bes'Ljch to endure their hardships, privations and oppres- 
sions. They seem to be exactly fitted to endure tiiis hot cli- 
mate. Negroes labor out doors and enjoy good health here ; 
but white persons do not. It is the universal opinion in Vicks- 
burgh so far as I could ascertain, that white people cannot work 
outdoors and live in that climate. All the slaveholders that 
! heard speak on the subject, agreed in this opinion, excepting 
only as to the Spanish population, who it was thought could endure 
field labor. It is my opinion that the whole state of Mississippi 
would again grow up to briars and bushes, were it attempted 
to be cultivated bj' any other than negro or perhaps Spanish 
labor. 

The slavery of negroes has produced a complete slavery of 
opinion and speech, on the merits of negro slavery, not only in 
Vicksburgh, but as I believe throughout the entire south. No 
freedom of' s^peech or of the press, nox free discussion, of those 
merits, or rather demerits, whether ni public or in private, h 
permitted in Vicksburgh. The slightest disapprobation of sla- 
very there, would endanger any person's life, especially if h« 
were a stranger. Those at the north who pretend that the 
slaveholders are willing to discuss the subject of slavery, in an>j 
way, are entirely mistaken. The subject of slavery is scarce- 
ly ever mentioned in Vicksburgh, so unwilling are the people 
there to discuss it. On my first arrival, 1 was warned by my 
friends not to mention the subject at all, or to appear to notic^j 
the barbarities practised around me, lest my imprudence should 
bring me into trouble and perhaps cost me my life. I was e-* 
ven advised to waive the subject, and not converse about it,^ 
v/hen spoken to by the slaveholders respecting it, for fear of 
their treachery ; and these rules I soon found it necessary to 

b3 



(18) 

tibsTTvc, ill violaiion of my feelings, in order to preserve my 
li;l'. And I wouKi ;,Mve the same advice to all strangers intend- 
ing to visit the souihern country. Much as is said respecting 
t!ie sacrcdness of constitutional rights, the slaveholders pay not 
ihe sligljtcst regard to them, where they think the free exercise 
of those riii'nts would endanirer their slavery. 

In such a state of society and sentiment, the state o^ Religion 
may I)e easily conjectured* The great majority of the people 
of Vickshurgh appear to have little or no sense of religion or 
religious duties and obligations. Still there are a number of 
jToCcssors ofr<.ligion there, both among the slaveholders and 
i;!aves, the majority I should think of the latter class. When 
tiio wcafher is fair, most of the white people attend church on 
the sabbath, but if it rams there is seldom any preaching ; and 
considerable pains are taken by many of the citizen^, to estab- 
lisli what they call a good stale of society in the city, which seem, 
cd to me to be the next thing to an attempt to establish 'good so. 
cicty' in hell. I for one would rather attempt to establish 
'good society' in Algiers, than in Vicksburgh, or in any other 
I'urt of the surrounding country that I have seen. There is 
very little attention paid to literature and learning in the city. I 
understood but few schools existed there ; and the ^q\w books 
and pamphlets read by most of the white inhabitants, are, so 
far as came to my knowledge, of the most frivolous, light and 
fooliiih, or obscene kind, suited only to the depraved tastes of 
i!io \iiYy depraved population v/ho read them. As to 'politics, 
1 heard hardly any thing said respecting them ; and observed 
that there were but very few local newspapers in circulation, 
and should think, from these facts, that the poorer class of 
wiiiics at least, had but litile to do with politics at all. The 
difference between the north and the south, in this respect, is 
very striking. 

It is frequently pretended at the Dorlii, that the abolitionists 
in describing ihe horrors of slavery, greatly exaggerate them 
in their descriptions. But I saw enough of these 'horrors' to 
satisfy me, that this pretence is not true. On the contrary, so 
f'lr from having exaggerated, the abolitionists have never rela. 
ted the half of these liorrors. No person can conceive of their 
aggravation and greatness, without having witnessed them. — 
Nor do I believe that I witnessed a fair exhibition of the great- 
est of these horrors. 1 understood, while in Vieksburgh, that 
the customary barbarities on the plantations, were much great •■ 
cr than those in the city, and were incredible to people at a dis» 



(19) 

tance, except upon the strongest testimony. Not havin<T ob- 
tained sufficient information respecting these barbarities, 1 can 
state nothing furtiier respecting them with certainty, tlian that 
1 believe them ; bu/. it would render an immense service to the 
cause of humanity, could they be completely described and 
published to the world, by unexceptionable witnesses. 1 sav/ 
and heard enough to satisfy me beyond a doubt, of the literal 
truth of the declaration, that in the general treatment of slaves, 
at least in Mississippi and the states adjacent, 'cruelty is the 
rule and kindness the exception ;' and this 'cruelty,' I beheve, is 
generall}' extreme, and the 'kindness' rare indeed. 

Vicksburgh is a miserably ill built city, most of the houses 
being small and mean in appearance, though a kw good build, 
ings are now going up. Some of the houses on the river have 
fallen down in consequence of being undermined by the wearing 
of the current. The population is perhaps from six to seven 
thousand, two-thirds of whom I should think were slaves, and 
at least one halt of these the offspring of the slaveholders, their 
drivers, and other white men, as I before stated. The general 
behaviour of the masters to the slaves is always sovereign, im- 
peiiou!^ and peremptory, like officers to their men, most of the 
masters and drivers accompdnying their commands, with the 
most shockingly prophane language, and frequently with kicks 
and blows, as their judgment or caprice may dictate. Most of 
the white ladies exhibit the same behaviour, with tiiG exception 
of prophane language. The white children also easily learn 
to imitate the same behaviour; and 1 have seen young white 
lads kick and beat the slaves, with language as prophane as their 
elders use. The most shockingly prophane language is con^ 
stantly used by all the men, both masters and slaves, except 
professors of religion. The most horrid oaths and imprecati^ 
ons are the customary language of the place, on all ordinary 
occasions. I never heard prophane language used half as 
much or as bad before, in the worst places I have seen. The 
management of slaves is a frequent topic of sportive conversa- 
tion, among masters and drivers, especially the latter. They 
will converse with as much coolness, complacency and zest, 
about the best modes of raising, working, keeping, breaking & 
selling slaves, as others do of horses and cattle, and relate with 
the highest glee, stories intended to display their ingenuity, ia 
the barbarities exercised to punish and frighten the 'niggers.' 
The drivers thus compare their experience, and conqmunicate 
useful information to each other, on these interesting aad edi«» 



(•20) 

Tying subjects. I have beard from ibese drivers, and believe 
il to be true, that caslration is sometimes resorted to, as a mode 
of punishing runaway slaves. Most of the 'negro drivers' are 
northern men. Tiiese wretches I should judge to be the scum 
and filth of liie northern population, and to engage in their de- 
testable employment perhaps, to gratify an innate love of cru- 
elty and crime. Perhaps they were too lazy lo labor for a liv- 
ing at the north- I should not think that money was their sole 
motive ; fjr high as their wages are in Mississippi, the expen» 
ses of living and the risks of sickness and death, are so much 
greater there than at the north, that I do not believe many of 
them can lay up much more money than the generality of 
northern laborers do. It was afflicting to me to think of the 
multitudes of northern young men, who are ruined by residing 
in the south ; for ruined they are almost sure to be, both in 
morals and health, if not in lortune. 

I saw no old white people in Vicksburgh, and but few old 
black ones, and understood that the whites did not live to old 
age there, being killed off prematurely, by dissipation and the 
climate. These causes I should judge must prematurely des- 
troy the white people, as excessive cruelt}' a-.id hardship do the 
colored ones. Men cannot indul^^ in vice to excess, with that 
impunity in hot climates 'hey can in cold ones. The liabitual 
vices of most of tl?c slaveliolders, and other while men, so far 
as they are able to indulge in them, are almost too numerous 
lo desc'-ibe. Hard drinkinir and hard swearinf? are the most 
prominent, though I by no means suppose they are the most 
common. 1 should think that the one half of the adult while 
populaiion of Vicksburgh, were Ijlack legs or gamblers and 
sharpers. Duelling of the most ferocious kind, and stabbing 
with the bowie knife, are both very common. The least af- 
front is almost sure to meet with a challenge, which the chal* 
longed person dares not refuse, on pain of the ignominy of loss 
of character. While I v/as in Vicksburgh, two men, whose 
names I think were Menifee and M'Clung, fought a duel with 
rifles o;i the Louisiana side of the river, I saw hundreds go o- 
ver in boats to witness the exhibition. Menifee was mortally 
wounded in the duel, and M'Ciung was shot dead with a rifle 
a few days afterwards, by Menifee's second, who was in 
jail for the crime when J left Vicksburgh. Since I left the ci- 
ty, as I have been credibly informed, another similar catastro^ 
f-»he has happened there, one white man having been shot dead 
Uy another in a^uarrcij and the murderer discharged froRi the 



(21) 

law by trick and collusion. As a consequence of the pursuit 
of these dreadful vices, the men are short Vwed in Vicksburgh, 
and I suppose throughout the whole extreme south. The poor 
slaves imitate the vices of their masters, so far as they arc able, 
being excessively fond of spiritous liquors, which they contrive 
to obtain by various means both honest and dishonest ; and as 
drinking such liquors is almost the only means of enjoyment 
they have, they in their ignorance aud despair can incur but lit- 
tleguilt, in comparison of their depraved masters. They are 
the greatest thieves I ever heard of, and display an ingenuity 
and dexterity, both in the practice of petty thefts and their con- 
cealment, that cannot be exceeded by others, however much 
superior they may consider themselves to the negro race. 

A great deal is said about 'southern honor, courage, d:c.' 
but 1 saw nothing in the behaviour ot the southern men to induce 
me to believe, that they possessed a greater share of either of 
those qualities, than their northern brethren ; and perhaps one 
reason why I did not and could not was, my abhorrence of the 
cowardly practice of slave holding! It is almost impossible to 
collect just debts in Mississippi from knavish debtors, so ex- 
tremely weak and dilatory are the collection laws of that state. 
And the number of frauds and fraudulent debtors in that state is 
so great, and so much scope is allowed to fraudulent practices 
by the laws, that the collection of just debts is very uncertain. 

The pretended wealth of the slaveholders is a great decep- 
tion. It consists almost entirely of negroes, rated by the head 
like cattle. But the neat profits of slaveholding 1 am sure must 
be small, for the usual evidences of real wealth and comfort 
such as we see in the northern states, are very few indeed.— 
Very few large and splendid villages, and public improvements, 
such as great roads and canals c^c. are to be seen at the ex. 
treme south ; and a vast deal of the property there I was in- 
formed was under mortgage. I do not deny but the gross prof- 
its of cotton growing may be large ; but when the expenses, 
risks and other losses, attending the practice of slavery and its 
necessary dissipation are deducted, the balance must be small. 
It is impossible that any country, one half of whole adult popu^ 
lation do nothing but spend what the other half earn, can be rich. 
Especially is this impossible in a slave country, where nothing 
but a badsystem of agriculture is or can be pursued, without 
any manufactures of its own, and its commerce in the hands of 
strangers and foreigners. A finer country of land I never 
beard of, than most parts of the extreme south are represented 



( 22 ) 

to be, and as I believe them to be ; but blasted as this country 
is by alavcry, it must, while this abomination continues to curse 
it, notwithstanding some few of its slaveholding inhabitants may 
be nominally rich, continue lobe as a country poor. 

One oftho most striking evidences of the lack of general 
prosjierity at the south, at least of Vicksburgh which is I sup- 
pose a pretty fair sample of the rest, is the miserable state of the 
market, which is decidedly the poorest and meanest I oversaw. 
Almost the whole of the agriculture is confitied to the raising 
of cotton, and the people depend for their principal supplies, on 
the n])per country arriving on the river. There is one meat 
market in Vicksburgh, a very poor one, but no other of any 
description. A very scanty supply of the most common articles 
of daily consumption, such as fowls, eggs and the like, and most 
of these of the poorest quality, are brought in by the slaves 
from the plantations, mostly on Sundays only, and this is all the 
supply the city people have. And for this poor fare the most 
enormous rates of board are charged, seven dollars per week 
being the lowest ordinary rate. And I understood the living 
on the plantations was much poorer than it was in the eity. I 
suppose this is the general fare throughout the extreme south, 
the same scarcity of good provisions and dearness of living. — 
There may be exceptions, but I have no reason to suppose 
there are many, if any. 

Vicksburgh is the most inhospitable, unfeeling and inhuman 
place to the poor I ever knew. It is well understood there, that 
a sick stranger can be well provided for and well taken care 
of, at an enormous cxpence to him, j^rovided he has plenty of 
money, and so long only as it lasts. As soon as it is gone, he 
is abandoned and perhaps turned out into the street to perish. — 
While I was there, a sick white man was put ashore from a 
steam boat, I suppose without any money. He was carried 
into a grocery and laid on the floor, where no attention was 
paid to him, nor medical assistance furnished, till he died, which 
was soon after. Nobody kuew him or his name or any thing 
of his history or relations. A rough coffin was furnished from 
tlie shop in which I worked, in which he was hastily buried. — 
I suppose no oiher stranger in similar circumstances, would be 
likely to fare any better in this barbarous place, than this un- 
fortunate person did. It is a solemn and awful fact, that a large 
proportion of these United States, is by slavery rendered as 
inhospitable, and the feelings of its inhabitants as hard and as 
inhunianj as those of the inhabitants of any heathen country. 



(23) 

So far aslcoukl JLidge, abolition principlos and sentiment 
]m(\ opparentlij made hui little progress at ihe extreme soulii. 
If there were any abolitionists there, they were entirely silent, 
for foar of being murdered ; for persona professing those senti- 
ments have not the slightest protection from mob murder there. 
1 should think they might be safer among pirates or savages, 
than among the slaveholders of Vicksburgh. Tlie only good 
sign I could perceive among the slaveholders; v;as their cxces- 
sive fear of abolitionists and ?heir priiiv':ij)Ics and measures. — 
This fear appears in their jealous watch of northern strangers, 
their endeavours to ensnare them in deceitful conversation, 
their rigorous guard over the conduct of their slaves, and in 
their horrid oaths and curses vented against the northern abo- 
litionists and their schemes. These symptoms fearfui as they 
appeared, filled me with encouragement, for they showed the 
power of truth over guilty consciences ; and 1 have no doubt 
but that the abolition enterprise is destined to work the over- 
throw of slavery, bemg the only thing that is powerful enyugli 
under God, peaceably to effect this great and blessed revolu. 
tion. Lot the free slates be but once united in abolition senti- 
ment, and slavery will soon fall in the slave states, without 
bloodshed or disunion ; for moral power is vastly stronger than 
physxal force. As it is, I do not believe that slavery can 
withstand the abolition cannonade many years longer. The re- 
volution of public sentiment, will soon revolutionize this bloody 
abomiination out of existence. As fo the foolery of African 
Colonization, it can have no other effect than to support slav^ 
ry at home. 1 heard but little said about it in Vicksburgh or 
elsewhere at the south, and the slaveholders appeared to regard 
the scheme v/ith contempt. Nor do I see how any body else- 
can regard it otherwise, who understands its nature and merits. 
I believe the abolition enterprise to be under God, the only just, 
peaceful and effectual remedy for slavery, and as such i esteeni 
it worthy of universal patronage and support. 

I was a zealous abolitionist before I went to Yicksburcrh, 
having been one ofthe first converts to the righteous cause of 
abolition in Rochester. And so far from my abolition zeal be. 
ing cooled, by witnessing the operation and'^effccts of slavery, 
1 feel if possible ten times more of it than before. And for the 
purpose of manifesting it, and contributing if possible a small 
share to the destruction ofthe greatest curse to my country, I 
have at the request of several of my fellow citizens in Medina, 
consented to ofler this 'Statements of Facts' to the public in a 



(24) 

printed form. In so doing, I am not conscious of havlnrr stated 
any thing which is not strictly true. It is generally diiFicult 
however, co ascertain the exact truth respecting the rrreatest 
slave cruelties, on account of the secrecv and privacy with 
which they are usually perpetrated; and when related, they 
ought ifpossibie to be exactly described. Should any errors 
be nstccted in the 'Stattment,' I shall take pleasure in correct- 
ing them, for I ^vould no sooner misrepresent slavery, than any 
thing else. Any errors as to most of the facts can easily be de 
tected, because there are other credible witnesses of them be- 
sides myself. My opinions here expressed are founded on these 
facts, and on the promises and threatenings of God as revealed 
m the Scriptures, of the exact fulfilment of which 1 have not the 
slightest doubt. I have here as a public witness, 'opened my 
mouth for the dumb, plead the cause of the poor and needy,' 
and 'remembered those in bonds as bound witii them ;' and as 
such, I hereby publicly challenge a full investigation of the 
truth, of the dreadful 'Facts' here publicly stated. 

As to my character and credibility, there are I believe, more 
than two thousand respectable gentlemen and ladies in Roch- 
ester and its vicinity, where T have lived most of the time dur. 
mg the last sixteen years, who know them both well, and can if 
necessary state what they are. Among other persons of my 
acquaintance, 1 will mention the Hon. Jud^res Moses Chapin & 
Addison Gardiner, Nathaniel Draper and William B. Alexan- 
der Esqrs. justices of the peace, Thomas Kempshall Esq. may- 
cfr oftJie city. Dr. Elwood post master, Rev. Zebulon Hibbard 
locayDreacher, and Messrs. Ebenezer Watts and Joseph Eg- 
gleston merchants, all of Rochester, and Col. William B. 
Brown farmer of Ogdenin Monroe county. 



LBAp'll 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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